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Original poster

Has anyone tried ADHD medication in secondary school?

58 replies

Startingtogetverytired · 10/09/2023 16:04

Son would like to try medication to see if it helps focus / remembering things in lessons.

We are worried as have seen first hand my husbands brother being a complete zombie whilst on Ritalin and it having no difference to his school life or academically.

Can anyone give their views who have tried medication please? Thank you

OP posts:
Pharos · 10/09/2023 16:38

Youngest started a low dose of slow-release methylphenidate last year and finally understood what it felt like to focus and engage - his diagnosis is inattentive ADHD. Unfortunately it impacts his appetite so he didn’t want to be on it long term. Instead he takes it when the cognitive demands in lessons are building up eg. in the run up to exams or days where he has a lot of academic subjects. His consultant is fine with this.
ETA - what helped tremendously was school also putting in place adjustments such as enabling him to type so his notes are all online and easier to manage. He also has a specific study mentor who checks in with him regularly and her input has been just as valuable as the meds tbh.

OhCrumbsWhereNow · 10/09/2023 16:36

Evenstar · 10/09/2023 16:34

My DS wasn’t diagnosed until he was almost 15, he took medication until he got through his GCSE’s and decided a few months into his college course not to carry on as he didn’t like the side effects. It was definitely worth it, as without the medication and the extra time and use of a laptop in exams he wouldn’t have got the grades for college.

I think he would have benefited from staying on it longer, his focus was so much better and he definitely felt that himself.

Could he try some of the other options that are available? If you don't have it, worth getting 'The Parents Guide to ADHD Medication' as that outlines all the current meds and the pros/cons, side effects of each.

itswonkylampshade · 10/09/2023 16:35

We have, and stimulant medication made my teenaged daughter seriously aggressive and depressed.

Evenstar · 10/09/2023 16:34

My DS wasn’t diagnosed until he was almost 15, he took medication until he got through his GCSE’s and decided a few months into his college course not to carry on as he didn’t like the side effects. It was definitely worth it, as without the medication and the extra time and use of a laptop in exams he wouldn’t have got the grades for college.

I think he would have benefited from staying on it longer, his focus was so much better and he definitely felt that himself.

xyzandabc · 10/09/2023 16:32

My DD started just a month or two before GCSE exams and it has helped her massively. I was concerned about starting just before exams but the prescriber thought it would be a good idea. She was right. I think it would have made an even bigger difference if she's started it at the beginning of yr 10.

DD says it means she can focus and concentrate during the day without her brain being chaos and thinking about a million thoughts at once.

OhCrumbsWhereNow · 10/09/2023 16:29

Have PM'd you.

DD, 14, started medication in June and I wished I had done it years and years ago. We haven't even finished titrating the dosage yet but has been fantastic for her from day 1.

Original poster
Startingtogetverytired · 10/09/2023 16:15

Thank you for sharing this.
This is almost my fear, that I’ve made his life so much harder now by not medicating but it didn’t seem right when he was happy -
Now he feels the gap much bigger between him and his peers and I feel terrible for him 😢

OP posts:
thestringcheesemassacre · 10/09/2023 16:10

My 16yr old daughter started the medication last year and the difference in her ability to concentrate and be more organised is huge. I wish we had started years ago.

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